Rugosa shrub rose plant named ‘KAPswehp’

ABSTRACT

A new variety of  Rugosa  rose suitable garden decoration, having flowers of pink coloration and production on many edible hips.

Classification: The present invention relates to a new Rosa rugosaplant.

Variety denomination: The new plant has the varietal denomination‘KAPswehp’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Rugosa Rose. Ithas as its seed parent a variety known as “Niven's White’ Rugosa’ (notpatented), and as its pollen parent an unknown Rugosa rose. It washybridized by Jay Kapac.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Among the features which distinguish the new variety from otherspresently available and commercial rose cultivars known to the inventorare the following combinations of characteristics:

-   -   1. Repeat flowering throughout the growing season even with a        heavy fruit load.    -   2. Production of large sweet hips suitable for fresh eating or        for processing.    -   3. Resistance against all common rose diseases found in the        United States.    -   4. Cold hardy with no freeze damage when tested down to −20        degrees F.    -   5. Fragrant. The flower has a strong spicy clove scent.

This unique combination of characteristics makes this plant suitable foroutdoor garden decoration.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety by budding and softwoodpropagation, as performed in Kern County, Calif. and Tipp City, Ohioshows that the foregoing and other distinguishing characteristics cometrue to form and are established and transmitted through succeedingasexual propagations. ‘KAPswehp’ may be asexually propagated bycuttings, budding and grafting. The budding and grafting successfullyoccurred on the plant/rootstock Rosa hybrida cv. ‘Dr. Huey’ (notpatented).

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

The new rose may be distinguished from its seed parent, “Niven's White’Rugosa’ by the following combination of characteristics: Its flowercolor is N78B to N78C while ‘Niven's White’ is the palest pink at closeto N155B. ‘KAPswehp’ is a very vigorous plant growing quickly to 5-6′tall in Ohio within the first two years after planting. ‘Niven's White’is slower to establish and shorter in growth. Hips are produced on bothplants but ‘KAPswehp’ produces larger hips with thicker flesh and sweettaste.

The new variety cannot be distinguished from its pollen parent becauseit is not known with sufficient accuracy.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR

The new variety may be distinguished from its closest commerciallyavailable cultivar, ‘JACrulav’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,055) by thefollowing combination of characteristics: ‘KAPswehp’ grows to 60-72″ inheight while ‘JACrulav’ grows to 36-48″ in height. ‘JACrulav’ alsoproduces hips but they are much less sweet, smaller in size and havethinner flesh than ‘KAPswehp.’

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIONS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the new variety and show theflowering thereof from bud to full bloom depicted in color as nearlycorrect as it is possible to make in a color illustration of thecharacter. Throughout this specification, color references and/or valuesare based upon The Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society(2001) except where common terms of color definition are employed.

FIG. 1 depicts the new variety ‘KAPswehp,’ in particular the floweringthereof from bud to full bloom. The flowering variety was collected inJune.

FIG. 2 depicts a rose bush of the new variety ‘KAPswehp,’ and representsthe branches which provided the materials for FIG. 1. The plant of thenew variety is a 3 to 4-year-old rose plant grown outdoors in Tipp City,Ohio.

FIG. 3 depicts fruit from the new variety ‘KAPswehp’ harvested from therose bush depicted in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 depicts fruit from the new variety ‘KAPswehp’ as attached to therose bush.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following description is of 3 to 4-year-old rose plants of the newvariety grown outdoors in Tipp City, Ohio in the month of June.Phenotypic expression may vary with environmental, cultural and climaticconditions, as well as differences in conditions of light and soil.

FLOWER

The new variety usually bears its flowers in small clusters of 3 or 5flowers per stem. The clusters are pyramidal in shape. The profile ofthe lower portion of the flower is concave. Flowers are borne on strongmedium to long stems 30-40 cm in length and 8-10 mm in diameter.Outdoors, the plant blooms abundantly and nearly continuously during thegrowing season. The flowers have a strong spicy clove fragrance.

BUD

The peduncle is about 3 to about 4 cm. in length, of average caliper(about 3 mm. in diameter), and stiff. It is pubescent having a fewglands near the receptacle. Peduncle color is between 147C and 147D.

Before the calyx breaks, the bud is about 1.7 to about 2.0 cm. indiameter at the widest point, about 2.3 to about 2.5 cm. in length, andlong pointed ovoid in shape. The surface of the bud bears severalfoliaceous appendages, several stipitate glands and glandular bloom,usually with slender foliaceous parts extending beyond the tip of thebud about ⅓ or more of its length. Bud color before flower color can beseen is between 146C and 146D.

The sepals are about 35 to about 45 mm. long and 8 mm. wide at thewidest point. The outer surface color of the sepal is between 146C and146D. Sepal extensions are medium. The outer surface of the sepal ismoderately rough and bears one long foliaceous appendage with somestipitate glands, hairs and glandular bloom. The inner surface color ofthe sepal is near 147C. The inner surface of the sepal is covered withfine wooly tomentum; sepal margins are lined with many glands andnumerous hairs.

The receptacle of the flower is medium in size (about 8 mm. in lengthand about 10 mm. in diameter). The receptacle is globular shaped inform. Its surface is smooth with an occasional gland and with fleshywalls. The receptacle color is between 146A and 146B.

As the petals open (after the calyx breaks), the bud is about 3.0 to 3.5cm. long and about 5.0 cm. in diameter at widest point and pointed toovoid in form. The color of the under surfaces of the newly openedpetals is N78D at the petal base changing to N78C over the rest of thepetal. At the point where the petal attaches, there is a small zonebetween 1C and 1D. The color of the upper surfaces of the newly openedpetals is between N78B and N78C.

BLOOM

When fully open, the bloom ranges from about 7-8 cm. in diameter withthe largest flowers expressed under cool night/warm day temperature.Petalage is single with about 5 petals under normal conditions. Whenpartially open, the bloom form is cupped. When fully open, the bloomform flattens somewhat leaving the flower as a shallow cup.

PETALS

The substance of the petals is medium and of average thickness, withupper surfaces slightly shiny and under surfaces matte. The petals areabout 4.5 to about 5.0 cm. in length and about 5.0 to about 5.5 cm. inwidth at the widest point. Petal margins are entire.

The outer petals are orbicular in shape with apices rounded and rarelynotched.

The inner petals are oval to obovate in shape with apices rounded andrarely notched.

Petaloids have not been observed.

NEWLY OPENED FLOWER

The under-surface color of the outer petals is N78D at the base. Towardthe middle of the petal is N78C. At the point where the petal attaches,there is a small zone of 1C to 1D averaging in size of 0.5 cm. by 1 cm.The upper surface color of the outer petals is between N78B and N78C. Atthe point where the petal attaches, there is a small zone of between 1Cand 1D.

The general tonality of the newly opened flower is between N78B to N78C.

THREE-DAY-OLD FLOWER

The upper surface color of the outer petals N78B. At the point where thepetal attaches, there is a small zone of between 1C and 1D. Theunder-surface color of the outer petals is between N78C to N78D. At thepoint where the petal attaches, there is small zone of near 1C to 1D.

The general tonality of the three-day-old flower is N78B and N78C.

On the spent bloom, the petals often drop off cleanly.

In June in Tipp City, Ohio, blooms on the bush growing outdoorsgenerally last about 3 to 4 days. Cut roses from plants grown outdoorsand kept at normal indoor living temperatures generally last about 4 to5 days.

MALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Stamens are many in number averaging about 200 to 220 in number and arearranged regularly about the pistils. The filaments are medium length(about 6-7 mm.) most with anthers. Filaments are between 158C to 158D incolor. The anthers are medium for the class and all open approximatelyat the same time. Anther color when immature is near 158B on theexternal part and near 158B on the internal part. Anther color atmaturity is near 165C on the external part and near 177B on the internalpart. Pollen is moderate to abundant and near 165C in color.

FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Pistils vary in number (average about 60). The styles are moderatelyeven, average in length (about 1 mm.), moderately heavy in caliper, andbunched. Stigma color is between 160C and 160D. Style color is near to160D in color. Ovaries are enclosed in the calyx.

Hips are present on this variety in large numbers when grown in TippCity, Ohio and in Wasco, Calif. Hips range from 2-3 cm in diameter withthick fleshy walls. Color ripens to 31B when mature and finishes close43R when over ripe and ready to begin drying. Hips contain from 8-15seed and are 4-5 mm long and 2-3 mm wide. Ripe seed color is 13D. Hipsare sweet and slightly acidic in taste when fresh. They make a very goodrose hip tea and when steamed, express a flavorful juice that can bemade into a very fine tasting rose hip jelly.

FOLIAGE

The compound leaves are usually comprised of seven to nine leaflets andare borne abundantly. The mature leaves are about 15 cm. in length andabout 13 cm in width at the widest point, leathery and very rugose intexture, and somewhat glossy in finish on the upper side and matte onthe underside. The leaves have a reticulate venation pattern. Theterminal leaflets are about 6.0 to 6.5 cm. in length and about 4.5 to5.0 cm. in width at the widest point, shaped ovate with mostly acute tosubacute apices and rounded bases. Their margins are simply serrate.

The upper surface color of the mature leaf is 146A. The under-surfacecolor of the mature leaf is 148B. The under and upper colors of the leafveins on the mature leaf are similar in coloration to the upper andunder surfaces colors of the mature leaf. The upper surface color of theyoung leaf is between 146C and 146D. The under-surface color of theyoung leaf is 148C. The under and upper colors of the leaf veins on theyoung leaf are similar in coloration to the upper and under surfacescolors of the young leaf.

The rachis is average in caliper and smooth. The upper side is groovedwith fine hairs all along the edges of the grove. The underside of therachis is somewhat rough with small prickles present. The rachis coloris near 148D on the underside and near 148C on the upper side. Thestipules are about 25 to 28 mm. in length and about 10 mm. in width withpoints that usually turn out at an angle of more than 45 degrees. Theunder and upper surface color of the stipule is between 148C and 148D.

The petiole is average in caliper and smooth. The upper side is rounded.The underside of the petiole is smooth. The petiole is about 3 to about4 mm. in length and about 1 to about 2 mm. in width at the widest point.The petiole color is near 148C on the underside and near 148C on theupper side.

The plant displays an average above well above average degree ofresistance to powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca pannosa var. rosae), blackspot (Diplocarpon rosae), rust (Phragmidium mucronatum) as compared toother commercial varieties grown under comparable conditions in TippCity, Ohio and Wasco, Calif. The plant is completely winter hardy inTipp City, Ohio.

GROWTH

The plant has a bushy upright growth habit (about 160 cm to about 190cm. in height and about 120 to about 150 cm. spread at the widestpoint), with full branching. It displays vigorous growth and the canesare of medium caliper for the class (about 1 to 1.2 cm. in diameter atthe widest point).

The color of the major stems is between 146C to 146D. They bear manymoderate sized prickles that are about 4 to about 9 mm. in length. Thelarge prickles are straight with a medium length base; prickle color isnear 146C. The major stem bears many small prickles of similar shape andcoloration and which are near 146C in color.

The color of the mature two-year-old branches is between 200A and 200B.They bear several large prickles which are of similar size and shape tothe large prickles on the major stems; prickle color is near 199B. Thebranches have a few small prickles of similar shape and coloration andwhich are near 199B in color.

The color of the new shoots is near 147C but quickly changing to 146C.They bear several large prickles which are of similar size and shape tothe large prickles on the major stems; prickle color is near 146C. Theshoots bear many prickles of similar shape and coloration and which arenear 146C in color. New shoots when exposed to full sun are near 147C asthere is no anthocyanin present.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Rugosa rose plant of thevariety substantially as described and illustrated herein.